Growing up in a Swedish community taught me about St. Lucia and one of the most famous celebrations in Sweden. Our church had a Swedish tea where Spritz and Thumbprint cookies were served as well as the crowning jewel of the table, a Swedish Tea Ring. On December 13, St. Lucia Day takes place. This day is a festival of light in the long, dark Scandinavian winter. Traditionally, the oldest daughter of a family dresses in a white robe with a red sash and a crown of greenery and candles. She goes from room to room in her home singing and bringing her family tea, pastry, and cookies.
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Today, schools, businesses, and towns hold their own St. Lucia procession on December 13 in Sweden and is broadcast each year with a concert by a diferent choir.
Following in my mother’s tradition, I have prepared and frozen this pastry for Christmas morning to be served after we open gifts.
Swedish Tea Ring ½ recipe of Traditional Sweet Roll Dough (or make two tea rings and double the filling ingredients) (recipe for dough follows) 2 Tbsp. butter ½ c. packed brown sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon ½ c. raisins
Prepare the Traditional Sweet Roll Dough from recipe below or use your own recipe. After dough is punched down, roll dough into a rectangle, 15 X 9 inches. Spread with butter and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Roll up, beginning at the wide side. Pinch edge of dough into a roll to seal well. Stretch roll to make even.
With sealed edge down, shape into ring on lightly greased baking sheet. Pinch ends together. With scissors, make cuts 2/3 of the way through ring at 1-inch intervals. Turn each section on its side to expose the circle of sugar mixture. Overlap as you turn the sections to make a complete circle. Let rise until double (about 30 min.)
Bake 25-30 minutes. Frost with a Sweet Icing (1 c. confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tbsp milk, and ½ tsp. vanilla blended until smooth.) Decorate with nuts and maraschino cherries. Serve warm.
Traditional Sweet Roll Dough 2 packages active dry yeast ½ c. warm water ½ c. lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled) ½ sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 eggs ½ c. shortening or butter, softened 4 ½ to 5 cups white flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 ½ cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add enough flour to make it easy to handle.
Turn dough onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic (5 min.) Place in greased bowl and turned grease side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double (about 1 ½ hours.) Dough is ready if impression remains when touched. Punch down dough.
